The Eby Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

The Eby family trace descent to Theodore Eby, who emigrated from the “Pfalz,” in Germany, in the year 1717, settling in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.

(II) Christian Eby

Christian, son of Theodore Eby, married Elizabeth Meyer, and died September 15, 1756. His wife died December 12, 1787.

Children of Christian and Elizabeth Eby

1. Christian. Born February 22, 1734, died September 14, 1807.
2. John. September 28, 1737.
3. Barbara. December 14, 1740, married Jacob Hershey.
4. Peter. November 11, 1742.
5. Anna. January 4, 1745, married Christian Stauffer.
6. Andrew. January 11, 1747.
7. George. December 11, 1748.
8. Elizabeth. August 12, 1751.
9. Samuel. Of whom further.
10. Michael. December 29, 1755.

(III) Samuel Eby

Samuel, son of Christian and Elizabeth (Meyer) Eby, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1752. He grew to manhood in his native county, then migrated to the then far west, becoming a pioneer settler of Stark county, Ohio, where his after life was spent engaged in farming and in ministerial work. He was a duly licensed preacher of the German Baptist church, and like the preachers of that denomination received no salary but preached for the love of souls and a sense of duty. He cultivated his own acres and prospered in all his doings. He was twice married, having eighteen children, nine by first wife, namely:

Children by first wife

1. Samuel. Of whom further.
2. Daniel. A farmer, died in Bristol, Elkhart county, Indiana; married Esther Shellenbarger, of St. Joseph county, Michigan; children:
   1. Adeline. Resides in Rochester, Indiana.
   2. Elias. Deceased.
   3. Octavia. Deceased.
   4. Owen.
   5. Olivia.
   6. James. Resides in California.
3. Michael. A farmer of Wabash county, Indiana, until his death; married Susan ———.
4. Mary. Died at Elkhart, Indiana; married Peter Frank, a farmer of Elkhart until death; children:
   1. Joseph. Deceased.
   2. David. Now living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, married and has a son Frank, also a daughter.
5. Peter. Died in Cass county, Michigan, where he was engaged in farming; he left a wife Margaret, also children:
   1. Peter. Living in Cass county.
   2. Cassius. Living in Cass county.
6. Gabriel. Died in Cass county, Michigan, where he was engaged in distilling; he married, in Ohio, Caroline Wagner; children:
   1. David.
   2. Daniel.
   3. Samuel.
   4. Christian.
   5. Catherine.
   6. William and several others.
7. David. Died in Bristol, Indiana, where he followed his trade of carpenter; he married Catherine Shellenbarger; children:
   1. Rachel.
   2. Elias.
   3. James.
   4. Amanda.
8. Joseph. Died in Ohio, a farmer; his wife Margaret survived him as did children:
   1. Sarah.
   2. Mary.
   3. Sidney and another.
9. John. Died in Ohio at age of nineteen years, having been an invalid all his life.

(IV) Samuel (2) Eby

Samuel (2), eldest son and child of Samuel (1) Eby, was born at Canton, Stark county, Ohio, March 30, 1807, died in Elkhart county, Indiana, April 15, 1880. He grew to manhood amid the surroundings of Ohio pioneer days and received a limited education in the public subscription schools. He remained with his father caring for the home farm until his majority, then after his marriage and birth of one child, moved to Elkhart county, Indiana, where he purchased land and was a prosperous farmer until his death. He was a Whig in politics until the birth of the Republican party, which he ever afterward supported by vote and influence. He served as school director, assessor and in other township offices. In religious faith he was a Presbyterian, his wife also being of that faith. He married Elizabeth Kirstetter, born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1810, died in Elkhart county, Indiana, December 27, 1881.

Children of Samuel and Elizabeth Eby

1. Caroline. Born in Stark county, Ohio, August 4, 1836; married Jesse Meyers, born in Pennsylvania, died in Waverly, Iowa, in 1903, a farmer; children:
   1. Ann Elizabeth. Born 1859, died young.
   2. Delilah Catherine. Born 1861, died 1909, married William Hursh, in Waverly, Iowa, where he now resides, a farmer.
   3. Samuel. Born 1863, resides in Colorado, unmarried.
   4. Benjamin. Born 1865, resides in Waverly.
   5. Rhoda. Born 1867, married William Waterman, a farmer of Waverly.
   6. Margaret. Born 1869, died 1889, unmarried.
   7. Jesse. Born 1871, now a farmer of Waverly.
   8. Edmund. Born 1873, married and a farmer of Waverly.
2. William. Born in Elkhart county, Indiana (the birthplace of all his younger brothers and sisters), November 16, 1838, died 1880, a farmer; he married Mary Holmes, born in Pennsylvania; children:
   1. Samuel. Born 1862.
   2. William. 1864.
   3. Charlotte. 1865.
   4. Benjamin. 1867.
   5. George. 1869.
3. Delilah. Of whom further.
4. Elizabeth. Born January 20, 1842; married James Hass (or Hess), born in Pennsylvania, now a farmer and proprietor of a summer boarding resort at Walloon, on Lake Michigan; child:
   1. Alfred. Born 1872, unmarried.
5. Samuel. Born March 3, 1846, died in his native county in 1877, a farmer; he married Sarah Boyd, born in Pennsylvania; child:
   1. Lewis. Born 1872.
6. Edmund. Born November 24, 1848; married Rhoda Mitchell; child:
   1. Frederick. Born 1876.
7. Harrison. Born January 27, 1850, died in his native county in 1881, a farmer; he married Elizabeth Carrick, born in Michigan, who survives him, residing in Illinois; children:
   1. Ada. Deceased.
   2. Carson. Living in Colorado.
8. Mary Ellen. Born March 3, 1852; married Daniel Franks, a teamster, born in Indiana, died in California; children:
   1. Grace. Married ———, has two children and lives in Goshen, Indiana.
   2. Jessie. Married Clark Rice and lives in Elkhart, Indiana.
   3. Robert. Lives in Goshen, Indiana.
   4. Catherine. Married James Matthews.
   5. Ralph. Living in Ligonier, Indiana.

The father of Elizabeth (Kirstetter) Eby died in Stark county, Ohio; her mother, Elizabeth, born 1792, died 1847, in Elkhart county, Indiana.

Their children

1. Elizabeth. Of previous mention, wife of Samuel Eby.
2. Peter. Born 1812, died in Goshen, Indiana; a traveling commercial salesman; married Mary Rogers; children:
   1. James. Deceased.
   2. Edmund. Living in Elkhart, Indiana.
   3. Chauncey. Deceased.
3. Jacob. Born 1814, died in Kansas City, Missouri, leaving wife and family.
4. George. Born 1816, died in Kansas, where he was a farmer for many years; he married Jemima Thompson; children:
   1. Joseph.
   2. Daniel W.
   3. Elizabeth.
   4. Lewis.
   5. Lydia.
   6. George R.
   7. Franklin P.
   8. Delilah J.
   9. Ellen.
5. Benjamin. Born 1818, was killed in a steamboat explosion on the Mississippi river during the civil war; he enlisted from Indiana.
6. Lydia. Born 1820, died in Stark county, Ohio, leaving husband and family.
7. Eliza. Born 1822, died in Ohio, married and had issue.

(V) Delilah Eby

Delilah, third child and second daughter of Samuel (2) and Elizabeth (Kirstetter) Eby, was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, at the village of Vistula, February 29, 1840. She was educated in the public school and until her marriage resided at home. Since becoming a widow she has continued her residence at Bradford, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Presbyterian church and a lady of womanly grace and gentle, kindly manner. She is highly regarded and with her daughter and son is happily passing her declining years. She married, March 14, 1861, Robert R. Caldwell, born in St. Joseph county, Michigan, November 29, 1837, died in Bradford, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1908, son of William Caldwell, born in Pennsylvania, settled in Elkhart county, Indiana, died in Bristol, Indiana, November 22, 1877, a farmer. He married Sarah Wilson, born in Pennsylvania, died in Elkhart county in 1847.

Children of William Caldwell

1. Robert R. Of whom further.
2. David. Born 1839, enlisted in the Eleventh Regiment Indiana Volunteers, and died while in the army during the civil war.
3. Ann Elizabeth. Born 1841, married, December 29, 1863, Lewis Emery, born at Cherry Creek, Chautauqua county, New York, August 10, 1839, now living in Bradford, having large oil interests; children:
   1. Delevan. Born September 26, 1867.
   2. Grace Elizabeth. January 27, 1874.
   3. Earle Caldwell. December 12, 1875.
   4. Lewis (2). August 27, 1878.
4. Sarah G. Born September, 1842; married Lewis E. Hampsher, born December 31, 1843, a prominent oil producer, now deceased.

Robert R. Caldwell was educated in the public school of Elkhart county, Indiana, became a farmer, continuing in that county until 1881. He then moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania, where he became a successful oil producer. He was a Republican in politics, an attendant of the Presbyterian church, and a man highly regarded by all.

Children of Robert R. and Delilah (Eby) Caldwell, all born in Elkhart county, Indiana

1. Sarah Elizabeth. Born February 4, 1862, died November 22, 1866.
2. Margaret. Born June 3, 1865, now with her mother in Bradford, a loving, cherished companion; she is a member of the Presbyterian church and interested in many good works.
3. Edmund Robert. Born November 22, 1868, now proprietor of a machine shop and foundry in Bradford; he is unmarried and resides at home.

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.